Blades of Gory

The Mayan gift that keeps on giving

But don’t let loose your trusty pet falcon or stash away your tinfoil hat next to your now-ironic Y2K memorabilia just yet. For all you know, there are still a number of leap year days unaccounted for, and that damn meteor will hit on a random March day. How’s that for luck of the Irish? Maybe the end did come and your life is now a bizarre Vanilla Sky-esque altered reality.

Whatever the case, apocalyptic terror is still strong in San Francisco-based artist Michelle Blade.

For the entirety of 2012, Blade Arma-got-it-on by creating one painting a day that reflects a daily meditation on the end of days.

Juxtaposing the real and the bogus, rituals and prophecies, Blade’s reckoning-inspired body of work—366 pieces strong—stars in its own exhibit this Friday at the Center for Contemporary Art’s Muñoz Waxman Gallery.

“It stemmed from two inspiration standpoints,” Blade tells SFR, “the Mayan prophecy—not necessarily as the end of the world, but yes, a cultural shift—and the second was in response to wanting to have a dedicated painting practice.”

Not one to lose momentum, Blade found yearlong inspiration in anthropology books available at her local library, talks with acquaintances, street art and the daily news.

“The first couple of days were tricky,” Blade recalls. “It was hard trying to find a rhythm.”

One prophecy that did ring true was Gloria Estefan’s 1987 proclamation, “The Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” as Blade not only found her mojo during the process, but also got a chance to hone her craft along the way.

“A quarter way into the project, I found my rhythm and saw my improvement as a painter,” Blade says. “It’s rare that you get to step back and see that revealing moment as an artist.”

Not all is doom and gloom. Vivid, colorful pieces like “366 Days, Day 297,” (pictured), reveals a Miracle-Gro-infused take on a utopian fresh start.

Blade also has an augury for attendees: “Expect a lot of work.”

“I think it’s going to be visually overwhelming,” she says, “and also exciting for individuals to see.”